Deicing composition and method

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a new and improved, environmentally acceptable and negligibly corrosive deicing composition comprising by-products from the fermentation and production of wine from grapes and other fruit, as well as from grains. The active ingredients of the present invention are the the solubles that settle during the fermentation process, said solubles being commonly known in the wine making industry as &#34;Vintners&#39; Condensed Solubles&#34;, and less technically known as &#34;wine bottoms&#34; and &#34;lees&#34;. The invention also relates to the use of a deicing composition in a manner that helps to reduce the buildup of snow and ice on roads, bridges and other outdoor surfaces.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an environmentally acceptable andnegligibly corrosive deicing and anti-icing composition comprisingby-products from the fermentation and production of wine from grapes andother fruit, as well as from grains. The invention also relates to theuse of the deicing and anti-icing composition in a manner that helps toinhibit the buildup of snow and ice on roads, bridges, runways, taxiwaysand other outdoor surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

It is well known that the ice and snow located on roads and bridgessignificantly slow traffic and pose increase danger to the generalpublic. Mechanical snow removal is often used to alleviate some of thetraffic problems. It is also known that chemical compounds, such aschloride salts, whether in solid form or in solution or in admixturewith sand and other substances, are often used to treat the roadways tomelt snow and ice. Most deicing compounds, however, are environmentallyharmful, and therefore, municipalities are often restricted in theamounts and types of substances that they may use to help control thebuildup of snow and ice.

Most chemicals used to treat roadways are detrimental for the followingreasons: They damage the soil and surrounding vegetation because thesalts turn the soil alkaline and are also absorbed into the root systemsof the plants; They damage freshwater streams, rivers and lakes and areoften absorbed into underground water systems; and, The salts causesignificant damage to vehicles, as well as concrete and metallicstructures that are near roadways because of the corrosive effects ofsaid salts. It is well known that many salts cause spalling in concretestructures, which significantly reduce the strength and life of suchstructures. In municipal areas, salt is also believed to result indangerous situations. It is believed that salt water that leaks downthrough manhole covers causes the outer layers of electrical cablesbeneath the manholes to erode and eventually lead to short circuits,which can spark and ignite accumulated methane or other gases, causingserious and sometimes deadly explosions. For the foregoing reasons, manystates have banned the use of salts, while others have placedsignificant restrictions on the usage of salts.

It is known that it is desirable to replace the corrosive salts withnon-corrosive substances, such as alcohols and glycols, but because oftheir flammability, toxicity and expense, these other substances havenot been effectively and economically utilized to date.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an environmentally acceptableanti-freeze and deicing composition whose active ingredient is aby-product of a the fermentation and production of wine from grapes andother fruit, as well as from grains, such as the rice used in theproduction of sake and other rice wines. The wine process consists offermenting liquids that are extracted from said fruits or grains. Withrice wine, the starches are usually converted to sugar prior tofermentation. The active ingredients of the present invention are thenonpotable solubles that settle to the bottom of the wine vats. Thebottom liquids are usually concentrated at 50% solubles, which solubles,after the liquid is evaporated and/or dried, are recovered typically foruse as nutritional additives in feeds for livestock and/orfertilizer/mulching material for vineyards. These solubles are commonlyknown in the wine making industry as "Vintners' Condensed Solubles" (or,more simply, "VCS"). The solubles are also referred to as "wine bottoms"and "lees". The condensed composition is water soluble, negligiblycorrosive, inexpensive, and widely-available in large quantities. Thepresent invention is also directed to the use of said deicingcomposition to inhibit the accumulation of ice and snow on roads,bridges, runways taxiways and other outdoor surfaces.

Generally, substances that are to be used as deicers must have thefollowing characteristics: suitable water solubility; a low freezingtemperature in solution; availability on an industrial scale at a lowcost; non-corrosiveness; environmentally acceptable; and capable ofbeing applied by generally known and available means.

In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide an anti-freeze and deicing composition suitable forinhibiting the accumulation of snow and ice, which composition is watersoluble, has a low freezing temperature, is cheaply and readilyavailable in large industrial quantities throughout the world, isnegligibly corrosive, is environmentally friendly, and is capable ofbeing applied with currently available equipment and by existing crews.

A related object of the present invention is to provide anenvironmentally friendly, negligibly corrosive deicing composition at acost-competitive price.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide anenvironmentally friendly, negligibly corrosive deicing composition thatcan be used in admixtures with sand, river gravel, cinders, sawdust,and/or other skid-reducing, manufactured grit and subsequently appliedto roads, bridges, runways, taxiways and other surfaces where it isdesirable to inhibit the accumulation of snow and ice on said surfaces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an environmentallyfriendly deicing composition that can be used to pretreat roads, bridgesand other outdoor surfaces prior to the accumulation of snow and ice toprevent the adherence of snow and ice to said surfaces.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide anenvironmentally friendly, negligibly corrosive deicing composition thatcan be used in admixtures or mixtures with other chemical deicing agents(such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride,magnesium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate and/or urea) and/orskid-reducing chemical agents and subsequently applied to roads,bridges, runways, taxiways, and other surfaces where it is desirable toinhibit the accumulation of snow and ice on said surfaces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process forinhibiting the accumulation of snow and ice on roads, bridges, runways,taxiways and other outdoor surfaces, which process comprises applyingthe deicing composition of the present invention onto such surfaces,either by itself prior to ice or snow, or in mixture or admixture withchemical deicing or other skid-reducing additives.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The deicing composition of the present invention is a by-product of thefermentation and production of wine from grapes and other fruit, as wellas from grains, such as the rice used in the production of sake andother rice wines. The wine process consists of fermenting liquids thatare extracted from said fruit or grain at a sugar content ofapproximately 10-14% sugar. With rice wine, the starches are usuallyconverted to sugar prior to fermentation. The active ingredients of thepresent invention are the non-potable solubles that settle to the bottomof the wine vat. The bottom liquids are usually concentrated at 50%solubles, which solubles, after the liquid is evaporated and/or dried,are recovered typically for use as nutritional additives in feeds forlivestock and/or fertilizer/mulching material for vineyards. Thesesolubles are commonly known in the wine making industry as"Vintners'Condensed Solubles" (or, more simply, "VCS"). The solubles arealso referred to as "wine bottoms" and "lees".

A fermentation process by-product is used as the active substance in thecomposition of the present invention. Accordingly, the deicingcomposition of the present invention comprises in an amount of between14 to 80% by weight of VCS in admixture with between 20 to 86% by weightof water, which composition may be further admixed with optionaladditives. As optional additives, the following substances may be used:sand, river gravel, cinders, sawdust and/or other skid-reducing,manufactured grit as well as other chemical deicing agents. Thecompositions of the present invention are excellently suited to serve asanti-freeze and deicing agents for inhibiting the accumulation of snowand ice on roads, bridges and other surfaces. Optimally, the deicingcomposition of the present invention is applied to road surfaces priorto the accumulation of snow and ice, which application will help preventthe snow and ice from adhering to the road surfaces. Subsequent to theaccumulation of snow and ice, the deicing composition of the presentinvention is again applied, but this time to the accumulated snow andice. The two-step application will facilitate removal of the accumulatedsnow and ice by plows and other mechanical methods.

Given that many municipalities typically purchase bulk quantities ofchloride salts and other chemical anti-icing agents, it is foreseeablethat the composition of the present invention may be mixed or admixedwith sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesiumchloride, calcium magnesium acetate (though the addition of chloridesalts, depending on its concentration, may degrade the low corrosivenessand the environmentally friendliness of the present invention). Oncethey have purchased the large quantities of other chemicals, mostmunicipalities will be inclined to utilize such chemicals even if theymust mix only a small amount with the more effective, more acceptablecomposition of the present invention, though clearly, such a combinationis less than optimal from the environmental perspective.

The deicing composition of the present invention also serves as acorrosion inhibiting agent when mixed with corrosive salts. Tests haveshown that the corrosive effect of an admixture of the composition ofthe present invention with a five percent by weight of chloride salts issignificantly less than for example, an admixture of 95 percent waterand five percent salts. Thus, the composition of the present inventioncan be effectively mixed with small amounts of salt withoutsignificantly affecting the other characteristics of the composition.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a process forinhibiting the accumulation of snow and ice on road surfaces isprovided, said process comprising the application of the composition ofthe present invention onto the road surfaces prior to icing or snowaccumulation. The composition may be preferably applied onto the roadsurface from moving vehicles in an amount of 20 to 60 gallons per lanemile (GPLM), which is 200 to 600 pounds per lane mile, which is alsoequivalent to 0.48 to 1.44 ounces per square yard. The composition mayalso be applied after snow and ice has accumulated in order to melt saidsnow and ice.

There are no known or identified hazards to humans, animals or theenvironment from the handling, storing, or using VCS. VCS is currentlyused as a low grade animal feed additive and as a fertilizer/mulchingmaterial for vineyards.

The composition of the present invention can also be cost effectivelyutilized by airports to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice onrunways and taxiways. Many airports today use glycols for deicing anairplane's wings and stabilizers, for which the airports must pay sewagetreatment processing fees for treatment of the runoff. Such fees canrange up to $3.00 per gallon of glycol-contaminated water. Furthertesting may show that the composition of the present invention can beused to replace the use of glycol for these purposes. The elimination ofglycol is better for the environment and avoids the need for processingglycol contaminated water, which process demands the utmost in qualitycontrol techniques.

The VCS of the present invention has a typical composition as follows,though the actual composition will of course vary by region, vineyard,grape, fruit or grain stock, and the type of yeast used forfermentation:

    ______________________________________                                                    DRY BASIS   CONDENSED                                             ITEM        (No Moisture)                                                                             (48% solids/52% Moisture)                             ______________________________________                                        Crude Protein                                                                             33.0%       16.0%                                                 Crude Fat   0.2%        0.1%                                                  Crude Fiber 5.2%        2.51%                                                 Total Carbo-                                                                              50.0%       25.0%                                                 hydrates                                                                      Unfermented 3.6%        1.8%                                                  Sugars                                                                        Phosphorus  2.31%       1.12%                                                 Sulfur      0.56%       0.27%                                                 Potassium   2.74%       1.32%                                                 Magnesium   1.08%       0.52%                                                 Sodium      0.13%       0.06%                                                 Iron        145 ppm     70 ppm                                                Aluminum    22 ppm      10 ppm                                                Manganese   34 ppm      17 ppm                                                Copper      8 ppm       4 ppm                                                 Zinc        140 ppm     68 ppm                                                Tartaric Acid                                                                             trace       trace                                                 Malic Acid  trace       trace                                                 Acetic Acid trace       trace                                                 Ascorbic Acid                                                                             trace       trace                                                 Cream of    1.20%       0.60%                                                 Tarter                                                                        Yeast       2.20%       1.10%                                                 ______________________________________                                    

The main advantages of the composition according to the presentinvention may be summarized as follows:

1) The composition of the present invention is neither unacceptablycorrosive nor environmentally damaging. This is a significant advantageover known compositions which damage vehicles, road ways, and thesurrounding environment.

2) The composition of the present invention has a freezing point below0° F. It is liquid and free flowing at temperatures at least as low as-10° F., and can be easily sprayed and applied to road surfaces oraccumulated ice or snow at ambient winter temperatures. The compositioncan also be heated before its application to facilitate pumping and toenhance the deicing effect.

3) The composition can be applied in comparatively small amounts becauseonce applied to the road surface, the composition of the presentinvention tends to remain in place and is not easily blown away by thewind or by the action of passing traffic, and the composition tends toprevent the adherence of snow and ice to the surfaces upon which it isapplied.

4) The composition can be applied during any prevailing temperatureand/or prior to impending snow and ice storms.

5) The composition can easily be applied to the roadways with uniformityusing readily available equipment without any special training for theapplication crews.

6) The composition can be applied in the form of a solution, whichallows for quick and even application by vehicles, even at speeds of 35mph or more.

7) The composition is a low grade, low price industrial by-productavailable in large quantities in many of the states located in the SnowBelt. Its availability in potential market areas will help keep costsdown because the proximity of the solution to the problem areas reducesthe transportation costs.

8) The composition is a renewable agricultural by-product and itscommercial usage will help support U.S. farmers and the agriculturalindustry.

9) The composition of the present invention is biodegradable, and yethas a low biological oxygen demand (BOD). The BOD of a substance is aunit-less number that represents the ratio of oxygen utilized (in lbs.)per pound of said substance. The BOD in effect represents the metabolicneeds of aerobic microorganisms in organicly rich matter. Most knowndeicers are not bio-degradable (and hence have a BOD of 0)--instead,they accumulate and become poisonous to the environment. One knowndeicer which is biodegradable is calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), butthe present invention has a substantially lower BOD than does CMA.

10) The composition of the present invention can be cost effectivelyutilized by airports to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice onrunways and taxiways, hence eliminating or further reducing the need forother chemical deicers which are known to be environmentally unfriendly.

SUMMARY OF TESTING

Further details of the present invention are to be found in thefollowing test results without limiting the scope of protection to thespecified mixture of composition of the present invention. For thetests, mill run VCS, concentrated at approximately 50% by weight of drysubstance, is applied at an external temperature of 14° F. to a 3.5 inchthick snow sheet of approximately 20 square yards without any additive.For comparison, a readily recognized and available mixture of industrialsalts and sand is applied to a second 3.5 inch thick snow sheet ofapproximately 20 square yards in a nearby location. It was found thatthe melting effect of the composition having a dry substance content of50% by weight is superior to that of the mixture of salt and sand, bothin duration of effect and the strength of activity. The composition ofthe present invention having a dry substance content of 50% by weightexhibited a melting effect one hour and a half earlier than the mixtureof salt and sand. Moreover, the 50% concentration of the presentinvention is active even at temperatures at least as low as -10° F.,while the melting effect of the salt and sand mixture slows andcompletely stops at approximately 20° F.

Further testing was done utilizing varying concentration of VCS, varyingbetween 30% and 60% by weight of dry substance, and at various ambienttemperatures. Tests were conducted for anti-icing prior to icing, aswell as for deicing subsequent to icing. In all cases the results of theVCS product were equal to superior to the other known, currently useddeicing agents.

Additional testing has been performed to evaluate the composition of thepresent invention for corrosiveness, biological degradation demands, andefficacy at varying temperatures. The results are discussed below.

CORROSION TESTS

Mild steel bolts were immersed in various concentrations of VCS. Afterfour months of immersion, the bolts showed virtually no evidence of rustor oxidation. Laboratory corrosion tests measured the corrosive effectat 0.57 mils per year (MPY), which is much lower than any other chemicaldeicing agent and is a small fraction of the corrosiveness of purewater. A MPY measurement of approximately 13 is generally considered bythe deicing industry to be acceptable, while a negative number indicatesthat the product, when mixed with distilled water, actually lowers thecorrosiveness of the distilled water.

Mild steel bolts were sprayed regularly with various concentrations ofVCS. After four months of regular spraying, the bolts showed virtuallyno evidence of rust or oxidation. Instead of corroding, the boltsappeared to have been sealed by a layer of dried VCS, which coatingappeared to be protective rather than destructive.

The following tables summarizes some of the test results:

    ______________________________________                                        MATERIAL    CORROSION (mils per year - MPY)                                   ______________________________________                                        Mild Steel  0.57                                                              Stainless Steel                                                                           None detectable                                                   Aluminum    None detectable                                                   ______________________________________                                    

In comparison, mild steel bolts subjected to similar test conditions asdescribed above, but utilizing mixtures of water and with 5%concentrations of various chloride salts, exhibited extreme corrosion,rust, and deterioration.

ENVIRONMENTAL TESTS

Tests were performed to measure the biological oxygen demand (in pounds)per pound of various mixtures of the composition of the presentinvention. Again, the BOD represents the metabolic needs of aerobicmicroorganisms in organic matter. Results appear below:

    ______________________________________                                        CONCENTRATION  BOD DEMAND (lb. of O.sub.2                                     (by weight)    per lb. of material)                                           ______________________________________                                        25% solids     .13-.15                                                        48% solids     .21-.26                                                        ______________________________________                                    

The composition of the present invention is currently used as a lowgrade animal feed additive, as well as a fertilizing/mulching materialfor grape vineyards. Because it is widely accepted by the livestockindustries and is not known to leave deleterious traces of any harmfulsubstances in the animals being fed, it is believed to be completelysafe to the environment and safe to handle as well.

FREEZING, DEICING, AND ANTI-ICING TESTS

The following results describe the consistency of a mixture of thepresent invention concentrated at 48% solids:

    ______________________________________                                        TEMPERATURE (°F.)                                                                   DESCRIPTION    VISCOSITY (SSU)                                   ______________________________________                                        +20          Free Flowing Liquid                                                                          80                                                +10          Free Flowing Liquid                                                                          900                                               -5           Free Flowing Liquid                                                                          1300                                              -20          Slow Flowing Liquid                                                                          2400                                              ______________________________________                                    

The following table summarizes the freezing points and provides morequantitative information on a typical mill run VCS solution containingapproximately 50% solubles:

    ______________________________________                                                    FREEZING                                                          SOLUTION    TEMPERA-  VISCOSITY                                               CONCENTRATION                                                                             TURE      (SSU)                                                   (°Brix)                                                                       (°Baume)                                                                        (°F.)                                                                            (@20° F.)                                                                     (@70° F.)                                                                     BOD  pH                               ______________________________________                                        48     29       -28       580    200    .22  4.1                              50     30       -20       600    280    .23  3.9                              ______________________________________                                         "Brix" is the measurement on a hydrometer scale that indicates the            relative percentage by weight of a substance in solution. "Baume" is a        measurement on a hydrometer scale that indicates the specific gravity of      substance.                                                               

While the melting effect of chloride salts is limited (ineffective belowapproximately 20° F.), the melting effect of the composition of thepresent invention, as demonstrated by the tables above, is active evenat temperatures as low as -10° F.

What is claimed is:
 1. An antifreeze and deicing composition forinhibiting the accumulation of snow and ice on outdoor surfaces, whichcomposition comprises from 14 to 80% by weight of a wine-making residueand from 20 to 86% by weight of water.
 2. An antifreeze and deicingcomposition for inhibiting the accumulation of snow and ice on outdoorsurfaces, which composition comprises: a mixture of (1) a skid-reducingaggregate, and (2) an admixture of from 14 to 80% by weight of awine-making residue and from 20 to 86% by weight of water.
 3. Theantifreeze and deicing composition of claim 2, wherein the skid-reducingaggregate is comprised of sand.
 4. The antifreeze and deicingcomposition of claim 2, wherein the skid-reducing aggregate is comprisedof river gravel.
 5. The antifreeze and deicing composition of claim 2,wherein the skid-reducing aggregate is comprised of cinders.
 6. Theantifreeze and deicing composition of claim 2, wherein the skid-reducingaggregate is comprised of sawdust.
 7. The antifreeze and deicingcomposition of claim 2, wherein the skid-reducing aggregate is comprisedof manufactured grit.
 8. An antifreeze and deicing composition forinhibiting the accumulation of ice and snow on roadways, whichcomposition comprises: a mixture of (1) at least one component selectedfrom the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium chloride,potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate andurea, and (2) an admixture of from 14 to 80% by weight of a wine-makingresidue and from 20 to 86% by weight of water.
 9. The composition ofclaim 8, wherein said at least one component is sodium chloride.
 10. Thecomposition of claim 8, wherein said at least one component is calciumchloride.
 11. A method for inhibiting the accumulation of snow and iceon outdoor surfaces, which method comprises: applying to the outdoorsurfaces, or to the snow and ice accumulated thereon, a compositioncontaining from 14 to 80% by weight of a wine-making residue and from 20to 86% by weight of water, said composition being applied at a rate offrom 20 to 60 gallons per lane mile.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe composition further contains at least one component selected fromthe group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassiumchloride, magnesium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate and urea. 13.The method of claim 11, wherein the composition further contains atleast one component selected from the group consisting of sand, rivergravel, cinders, sawdust and manufactured grit.
 14. Acorrosion-inhibiting composition which comprises from 14 to 80% byweight of a wine-making residue and from 20 to 86% by weight of water.15. A corrosion-inhibiting composition for inhibiting the corrosiveeffects of a chloride salt, said composition comprising from 14 to 80%by weight of a wine-making residue and from 20 to 86% by weight ofwater.
 16. The corrosion-inhibiting composition of claim 15, wherein thechloride salt whose corrosive effects are being inhibited is selectedfrom the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium chloride,potassium chloride, and magnesium chloride.
 17. A corrosion-inhibitingcomposition for inhibiting the corrosive effects of sodium chloride,said composition comprising from 14 to 80% by weight of a wine-makingresidue and from 20 to 86% by weight of water.
 18. An antifreezecomposition for inhibiting the accumulation of snow and ice whichcomprises from 14 to 80% by weight of a wine-making residue and from 20to 86% by weight of water.
 19. A deicing composition for inhibiting theaccumulation of snow and ice which comprises from 14 to 80% by weight ofa wine-making residue and from 20 to 86% by weight of water.
 20. Adeicing composition for inhibiting the accumulation of snow and icecomprising solubles that settle during a process of fermenting fruit tomake wine.
 21. An antifreeze composition for inhibiting the accumulationof snow and ice comprising solubles that settle during a process offermenting grain to make wine.